Puerto Cortes, Honduras

Bit of a disaster day in Puerto Cortes as I knew exactly where I wanted to go, taxi driver assured me he knew where the Nature Reserve was, agreed a price then two and a half hours later he starts asking the locals if they knew where it was. Not a good sign! Well, that's as maybe and we did see a few birds but not the Macaws and Toucans promised.

Wherever this tiny coastal village was it wasn't where we needed to be!

I felt the taxi driver was now well enough trained to know to stop at the mere sight of a bird and did so for this overflying 

ROADSIDE HAWK

which conveniently perched in a nearby tree.

 GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE

 BLACK VULTURE

BROWN JAY

 RED-CROWNED WOODPECKER

 BUTTERFLY may be same as a couple of days ago?

 

 ORCHARD ORIOLE

 and a small flock of WOOD STORK (5)

 (4)

 (3)

 (2)

 (1)

and finally, this hapless RODENT had 'fallen' to the local children who, despite a cash incentive, where not prepared to release to poor beast. However, that was a league better than what was met further ahead, c10 White-fronted Parrots confined to a cage and 'for sale' by the roadside!

Belize City, Belize II

Part II of Belize starts with a fly-over

NEOTROPIC CORMORANT

while from under the bridge on which we were standing there appeared to be a second Hirindine species

but on closer inspection these were seen to be

tiny BATs (c2 seemingly on top of each other in topp image, c8 middle shot and this single)

INSECT NEST?

WASP's NEST

RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD

Now deep in the 'Rain Forest' spotting and photographing became increasingly difficult but this

RUDDY FOLIAGE-GLEANER fell to the lens.

FUNGI

RUDDY-TAILED FLYCATCHER

SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER

female BARRED ANTSHRIKE

MANGROVE VIREO

c2 male HOWLER MONKEY's seemingly disputing territory

were momentarily interrupted by a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH

before continuing their Howling!

YELLOW-BILLED CACIQUE was the 4th 'Lifer' of the day, but others, not photographed were LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER and BLACK CATBIRD.

LEAF-CUTTER ANTs continue their perpetual labours, while other additions to the Trip List included BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT, APLOMADO FALCON, BLACK-CROWNED TITYRA and COLLARED SEEDEATER.